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Something Big Is Coming
In this week's edition of the 80/20 of E-commerce newsletter, February 13, 2026, I'd like to highlight that something big is coming for e-commerce.
And that thing is a new AI agent that is taking the Internet by storm called ClawdBot, also known as OpenClaw.
The 80/20 of OpenClaw for e-comm is this:
People who are using OpenClaw right now are getting 10x leverage than people that are not using it according to Jason Calacanis, one of the legend investors in the startup world.
Jason and his team built OpenClaw “Ultron” to replace 20 people at his company.
Sound too good to be true?
I hear you… in a private DM one of the thought leaders in Ecom shared privately about Clawdbot… “it's fun. no real value though honestly. Nothing I wasn’t already able to do with Claude Code”
But I think differently.
There's at least 8 things that OpenClaw can do to replace either you, the ecom business owner, to save you time, or an employee, contractor, or VA, which will save you money.
Given the fact that Amazon FBA seller registrations are at a ten-year low right now,
and many sellers have confided in me that they're ready to throw in the towel…
or even sell their business off to a Chinese competitor because of the unit economics, I think this is the start of something big.
I'm not saying it will replace teams 100%, but it can take away 80% of the work — the menial grind-type work, or the chores that you should have outsourced years ago.
And it can mean the difference between quitting your business after putting in years of blood, sweat, and tears, and finding a new way to survive and thrive in the post-OpenClaw era that began two weeks ago.
For example, in product research, one of the struggles was catching ideas in a sheet, listing ideas, creating a long list of ideas. The menial process of putting this into, writing this into a Google sheet or jotting it down in a notebook was really time consuming, and many of my past students struggle with this.
Also spending time going into Helium 10 or Data Dive to run the numbers using custom filters for search volume, sales numbers, checking pricing and competition, etc. Super time consuming.
But all this can be done using OpenClaw today.
In essence, you can create and build these tasks into a 'skill' used to train an OpenClaw AI agent. I'm not saying that this is plug and play right now. Obviously you have to spend some time setting it up and also ironing out all of the security risks involved.
But the conclusion is clear — something big is coming. This is as big as a Covid shift.
On one hand, everyone's talking about how AI is replacing jobs, on the other hand this is a golden opportunity.
Now, how e-commerce owners can use AI agents like OpenClaw to multiply their output and to increase profitabiluty.
We are even seeing this now in Amazon Ads - recently they announced that they are allowing MCP server access.
So you can use your own AI agent or Claude Code to manage your ads, using the algorithms and filters that you select. Done properly you could potentially replace an agency that would charge you tens of thousands of dollars of work.
Tools like OpenClaw are rocket fuel for e-comm sellers right now, but at the same time, there's still a lot of unanswered questions about what you can do with it and how you can use it safely.
Security is a big issue and there are threats of prompt injection, malware, and even getting your data breached or deleted.
I have been testing OpenClaw for the past two weeks and I would to share with you the 8 things that OpenClaw can do for e-commerce sellers right now next week in a live webinar.
📅 Live Webinar: 8 Things OpenClaw Can Do for E-commerce Sellers
Tuesday, February 17th
February 16th, 4pm Eastern Time
February 16th, 9pm London
8am Melbourne
THIS WEEK'S 80/20
1. Germany Hits Amazon With €59M Fine + Bans Price Controls
Germany's competition authority (Bundeskartellamt) slapped Amazon with a €59 million ($70M) fine and banned the company from discriminating against third-party sellers who set prices Amazon deems "too high."
The regulator says Amazon's pricing rules violated national and EU competition laws. Amazon can no longer suppress sellers based on their pricing decisions, except in exceptional cases.
Gary's take: This is huge for sellers in Europe. Amazon's been quietly controlling pricing through algorithmic suppression for years. If you've ever wondered why your listing tanked after a price increase, this is why. Watch for similar enforcement in the US.
2. Amazon Opens Ad Platform to AI Agents (MCP Server in Open Beta)
Amazon just announced open beta access for the Ads MCP Server, allowing sellers with API credentials to connect AI agents (like Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini) directly to Amazon Ads.
You can now create campaigns, optimize bids, pull reports, manage budgets, and expand across marketplaces by typing simple commands into AI tools.
Pre-built tools include end-to-end Sponsored Products campaign creation, cross-country expansion, keyword management, and consolidated reporting.
Gary's take: This is what I was talking about in the main story. You can literally replace a PPC agency now. If you know what you're doing, you can automate the grunt work and focus on strategy. Game changer for sellers who move fast.
3. TikTok Shop Ends Seller Shipping (Exclusive Fulfillment by March 31)
TikTok Shop is eliminating "Seller Shipping" — the ability to purchase labels from third-party sources and upload tracking.
Starting February 25, 2026, all US sellers must fulfill orders through TikTok Shop Logistics Services (Fulfilled by TikTok, Upgraded TikTok Shipping, or other approved methods).
Full compliance required by March 31, 2026.
Sellers onboarding after February 9 don't get a transition window — they're locked into exclusive fulfillment from day one.
Gary's take: TikTok is pulling the classic Amazon playbook: get sellers hooked, then force them into exclusive fulfillment. If you're doing big volume on TikTok, you need to model out FBT costs NOW. This could kill margins for low-ticket items.
4. Shopify Crushes Earnings, Announces $2B Buyback
Shopify reported 30% revenue growth in Q4 2026, hitting $3.67 billion vs. Wall Street's $3.58 billion forecast.
The company announced a $2 billion share buyback program and issued bullish guidance for 2026, driven by holiday shopping surges and AI-powered tools.
Stock initially spiked on the news but later pulled back on a modest earnings miss.
Gary's take: Shopify is printing money right now. If you're still 100% reliant on Amazon, it's time to diversify. Shopify's AI tools are getting scary good — product photography, copy generation, upsell automation. Worth testing.
5. Helium 10 Breaks Down Real Costs: Amazon vs. TikTok vs. Walmart
Helium 10 just published a cost comparison guide for selling on Amazon, TikTok Shop, and Walmart.
Key takeaways:
Amazon storage: $0.78-$2.40/cubic foot/month
Walmart storage: $0.75/cubic foot
TikTok Shop FBT: Starts at $3.58 per item for standard fulfillment
TikTok Shop ads: Delivering 20% ROAS vs. Amazon's 10% in some categories
Gary's take: TikTok's fulfillment fees are brutal for low-ticket products, but the ROAS is insane if you nail the creative. Walmart is the sleeper — low fees, less competition, but you need volume to make it worth your time. Diversify smartly.
6. Presidents' Day Sales Are LIVE (Big Traffic Opportunity)
Amazon, Walmart, Target, and other major retailers launched Presidents' Day sales with discounts up to 80% off across categories.
Amazon is offering up to 40% off tech, home, kitchen, and bedding. Walmart is running deep discounts on top brands like Shark, Dyson, UGG, and Kate Spade.
Gary's take: If you're not running promotions this weekend, you're leaving money on the table. Traffic is spiking. Even a small discount can win the Buy Box and boost your organic rank coming out of the holiday lull.
7. Amazon + Walmart Tighten Seller Performance Standards
Both Amazon and Walmart are raising the bar on seller performance in 2026.
Amazon is tightening policies around returns, reviews, and refunds. Walmart is enforcing stricter shipping, return, and operational readiness requirements.
The message is clear: control, speed, and accountability are no longer optional.
Gary's take: Sloppy sellers are getting weeded out. If you're not hitting metrics consistently, you're at risk. Clean up your operations NOW before you get suspended. This is a good thing long-term — less competition from low-quality sellers.
Final Thoughts
The platforms are moving fast. AI is accelerating everything. And the gap between sellers who adapt and sellers who don't is getting wider every week.
The 80/20? Focus on leverage.
If you're still doing everything manually, you're falling behind. If you're not testing AI tools, you're leaving money on the table. And if you're not diversifying beyond Amazon, you're playing a risky game.
See you Monday for the OpenClaw deep dive.
THE VITAL FEW (In Case You Missed It)
→ Quick Hits: FBA fee change + Big Spring Sale dates
→Amazon Cuts SAFE-T Claims Window to 30 Days
→Freight Rates Drop 11–12% — Lock In Now
→TikTok Shop’s “Amazonification” Begins
→The Amazon Rufus Optimization Checklist
Ready for More?
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Talk soon,
Gary
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